Sen. Patrick J. Leahy cast his 15,000th vote Tuesday, joining an exclusive club in Senate history.

The Vermont Democrat's first vote came in 1975 on a resolution to establish the Church Committee. His 15,000th vote was on an amendment to cybersecurity legislation, and vote No. 15,001 came on his own amendment. In a statement, Leahy offered a long list of his most memorable votes, but it was two war votes that stood out — and provided context for the length of his tenure: "Opposing the war in Iraq, a venture that cost so many lives, and trillions of taxpayer dollars. And I was proud to be the first Vermonter to cast a vote, in the Armed Services Committee, to end the War in Vietnam."

"I am so grateful to my fellow Vermonters for the confidence they have shown in me," Leahy said in a statement. "It is a measure of trust that urges me on, and which I will never betray, or take for granted. Reflecting on the past 15,000 votes reminds me about the significance every time we vote, why I feel energized about what votes lie ahead and how we can keep making a difference."

Leahy is completing his seventh Senate term and is expected to run for re-election next year.